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| Sr. Hope Therese, O.Carm. |
My first six week mission experience was at Carmel Richmond
Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Staten Island. It is a six floor facility with 300
beds. I had the pleasure of working in
PACE, their adult day care program, and activities. PACE stands for (Program of All-inclusive
Care for the Elderly.) In general the
participants of the PACE program were more physically able than the residents
of the nursing home, but had cognitive issues and/or developmental
disabilities. In PACE I assisted by
serving meals, cleaning tables and helping with their activities. The activities in PACE were usually more
geared toward using cognitive skills.
For example, a game where the participants had to make many little words
using the letters of a longer word.
The
participants were very welcoming, kind and appreciative of the care they were
receiving and the staff was very dedicated, patient and compassionate. Activities in the nursing home, as usual,
were enjoyable for the residents and me.
There were many games, including a fishing game where they tossed a
beanbag in a certain section of a box to catch the biggest fish, a horse racing
game where the horses were moved ahead the same number of tiles that came up on
dice the residents tossed, and of course Bingo.
Karaoke was also a lot of fun for everyone.
Living in the convent there with nine other wonderful
Sisters was also a pleasure.
All of the Sisters were so kind and hospitable in the true
spirit of Mother Angeline. They were
always so good at making sure the pantry was always stocked with my favorite
food and snacks. I was always invited
and welcome to join the Sisters in whatever they were doing at night for
recreation whether it was television, exercise, or games.
Every experience I
have in a nursing home really brings home for me the value and sanctity of
human life. We live in a culture where
human life, especially at the beginning and end stages, is considered by many
to be expendable. Every life is a
miracle and a precious gift from God.
Everyone has a purpose. God has a
unique plan for everyone He brings into existence and they must be alive to
carry it out. Everyone has the ability
to give and to receive love. This is our
purpose even if the ways we carry it out might be different.
No matter what challenges a person will face or is facing,
God’s grace makes everything work for the good of his divine plan. Everything exists and happens for a
reason. God is all powerful, all knowing
and all loving. In fact he is full of
wisdom, love, mercy, kindness and everything good. How could we not trust a God like that?
If you observe nature you will see that everything comes
from something and everything goes somewhere.
Flowers release seeds that become more flowers. Birds lay eggs that become more birds. A river has beginning and an end, but its
flow is never-ending. The sun rises just
as surely as it sets. Logic dictates
that the being that created the birds, flowers, rivers, and sun has a similar
plan for us, his greatest creation.
Nothing God creates ever truly goes out of existence, but is renewed
somehow. We must believe the same of
every human soul. We were created as
eternal beings. Ultimately we are meant
to spend that eternity with our creator in heaven. If nature is any indication, what a beautiful
place that must be!
